Guatemalan Encounters: Irtra Petapa

There is no such thing as a one-day birthday for me. Since my birthday is during summer vacation, I am able to celebrate it all season long, with all my family. So, my family and I decided to do a little trip around some of the main attractions in Guatemala.

We began our tour with a day in the city. We went to Irtra Petapa, which is an amusement park inside the city. It is like our own version of Universal Studios, but very small. Nevertheless, it is packed with a lot of fun. There are two Irtras in Guatemala, one in the city and one closer to the beach, in Retalhuleu. Both Irtras are for all types of people; what I like about them is that it does not matter from where you come, you can enjoy it all!

My sister, mother, cousin and I getting ready for a big splash!

It had been years since the last time I went to Irtra Petapa, and once I got there my head was flooded with countless memories of that place. The last time I had gone, I was in preschool. The park had new games and new areas which appealed to an older audience. At first I was a little skeptical whether the rides were going to be exciting enough for me, but I think I was the one who screamed the loudest...

The Ferris Wheel

I love fast rides and rides that get you soaked. Irtra had them both. Moto Bala (Bullet Motorcycle) takes you by surprise from the very beginning — it goes from being stationary to a very high speed in less than 3 seconds. There was another one that was like a mini Splash Mountain. Like the name says, we got splashed.

Afterwards, we rode a Ferris Wheel and once we were at the top, we could see the entire park. It was a beautiful view because you could also see part of Guatemala, and the green around it. We kept on walking, and to our surprise there was a zoo. It was a small zoo, but you could get really close to the animals and really appreciate the nature of them. There even were some peacocks roaming around the grounds — some even tried to steal our food.

A wild peacock appears.

I had a lot of fun, and I even got a nice tan from the sun. I am eager to go back with my friends and perhaps travel all the way to Retalhuleu, to the other Irtra.